A MANUAL EMERGENCY OPENING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC DOORS, IN PARTICULAR FOR LIFT AND ELEVATOR DOORS

Abstract: An automatic gate for lifts and elevators exhibits doors provided with a device for emergency manual opening thereof comprising mechanical transmissions (8) which connect a lock (3) for the doors (2) with a hole (5) made externally on the gate, through which hole (5) the lock (3) can be manually activated. The connection is realized in such a way that the position of the hole (5) is always the same for any type of lift door, whether of a central-to-side opening type or a telescopic type.

Description: A Manual Emergency Opening Device for Automatic Doors, in particular for Lift and Elevator Doors. Description. The invention relates to a manual emergency opening device for automatic doors, in particular for lift and elevator doors. Automatic gates for lifts and elevators are of two types: a first provided with two doors which meet centrally and each open in a centre-to-side sliding motion; the second provided with a single telescopic door subdivided into segments. In the first case there are two groups of doors, each of which is formed by at least one door, with the doors of each group opening and closing in a same sense, which is opposite to the motion sense of the other group, such that the two door groups move symmetrically with respect to the centre of the lift gate. In the second case there is one sole group of doors which all move in the same sense, producing a lateral opening and closing thereof. In cases of malfunction of the automatic motion mechanisms of the doors, or when there is a failure in the electrical supply, an unblocking device is provided which enables the door to be manually opened so that the users can exit. This device, which acts on the lock mechanism by unlocking it, is activatable from the outside by means of a key inserted into a hole. The hole is made in a usually sheet metal cover situated above the door, at the door architrave, which cover contains the sliding mechanisms of the door or doors. As the hole has to be made near the lock of the support and motion carriage of the door, it is made centrally if the door is of the central -to- side type, while it has to be made laterally on the right or the left if the door is telescopic or lateral . Hence it is necessary to realize covers with holes made at different points according to the type of door they are destined to be applied to. The main aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-ment oned drawback by providing a device which enables the hole to be made in a same position such that the cover can be modular, that is, the same whether destined for application to any type of lift or elevator door. A further aim is to provide a manual unlocking device which is in a same, standard position for a l types of doors. The above aims are all fully attained by the opening device ot the present invention, which is characterised as set out in the following claims and in particular in that it comprises mechanical transmissions which connect the hole with the lock element of the carriage such that the position ot the hole is always the same and fixed for any type of door, whether centrally or laterally opening. The above hole is preferably made in the central part of the sliding mechanism cover. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better emerge from the detailed description that follows, of an embodiment of the invention, illustrated in the form of a non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which: figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of the sliding carriage of a door, respectively with the lock device activated and deactivated; figures 3 and 4 are schematic views of the device, respectively in a rest position and an active position, in which it releases the lock on the carriage; - figure 5 is a view from below of the cover with the hole; - figure 6 is a frontal view of a door. With reference to the figures, 1 denotes in their entirety means for automatically opening and closing doors 2, in particular for lifts and elevators. The means 1 are of substantially known type and comprise a sliding carriage slidable on a guide 9 by means of wheels 11, which carriage 4 interiorly supports a door 2, applied directly to the carriage (as in figure 1) or indirectly, through support rods 20 (as in figure 2). A carriage lock device 3 is provided to prevent opening of the doors during normal functioning of the lift. Said carriage lock device 3 is constituted by a slot 13 on the carriage itself, into which a hook element 12 solid to the fixed door frame 14 hooks. When the doors are commanded to open, a known-type device mounted on the door commands the displacement of the slot 13 downawards to effect the unlocking of the carriage and enable it to slide along the guide 9. In emergencies, such as for example during a break in the electrical supply, a manual carriage unlocking device is provided which in the present invention is realized by means of mechanical transmission 8 which kinematical 1 y link the slot 13 to an opening 5 through which a transmission rod activating key 6 is inserted. The hole or opening 5 is made in a cover 10 of the door architrave, which covers the door motion means 1. The hole 5 is preferably made in a central position in the cover 10 but in any case in a position such as to be standard for all types of door application, whether of the central -to-side opening type or of the telescopic type: thus it is possible to produce one sole type of cover 10 for all types of automatic lift doors. The key 6 is inserted in a drum 7 internally anchored in the hole 5; a rotation of the key 6 causes a corresponding rotation of a pin 15 inserted in the drum 7 and connected by a wire 16 to a lever 17 privoted at 18 to the fixed frame 14. The other end of the lever 17 supports a second pin 19 which strikes the support of the slot 13 causing said slot 13 to lower, with a consequent unlocking from the hook element 12, as shown in figures 2 and 4. An elastic recall element (not illustrated), for example a spring, is provided to return the lever 17 to its original position when the key 6 is removed. Figures 1 and 3 shows the carriage in the locked position, with the hook element 12 inserted in the slot 13. The special connection of the key 6 in the slot 13 realized by means of the two pins 15 and 19, the wire 16 and the lever 17, means that the hole 5 can always be situated in the same position, independently of the door type. Preferably the position is central for reasons of symmetry and to allow the key 6 always to act in traction on the wire 16. If the hole were made laterally it would be necessary, instead of the wire 16, to use a rigid connection element inasmuch as the key could then act not only in traction but also by pushing the rigid element (the need for this would depend on the position of the lock). The two pins 15 and 19, the wire 16 and the lever 17 constitute mechanical transm ssions which kinematical 1 y connect the slot 13 to the hole 5.

Claims: Cl ai ms , 1. A manual emergency opening device for automatic doors, in particular for lift and elevator doors having central -to-side type opening or lateral opening configurations, of the type comprising: - a lock (3) device for locking or allowing sliding movement of a carriage (4) bearing a door (2); - a hole (5) made externally on the door (2), through which hole (5) and by means of a key (6), the lock (3) device can be activated to lock and unlock at least a door (2) in order that said door (2) can be opened or closed, characterised in that it comprises mechanical transmissions (8) which connect the hole (5) with the lock (3) device such that the position of the hole (5) is fixed and constant for a central-to- side opening door and a telescopic laterally- opening door (2). 2. A device as in claim 1, wherein the hole (5) is made in a central part of a cover (10) of an architrave of a lift gate and of a door motion mechanism, such as to render the cover (10) symmetrical with respect to a plane perpendicular to the cover (10) and to the door and passing through the hole (5). 3. A device as in claim 1 or 2, wherein the mechanical transmissions (8) comprise a first pin (15) which is set in rotation by the key (6) and draws a wire (16) which activates a lever (17) supporting a second pin (19) by means of which second pin (19) the lever (17) activates the lock device (3), unlocking the carriage (4). 4. A device as in claim 1 or 2 wherein the mechanic transmissions (8) comprises a first pin (15) which is set in rotation by the key (6) and pushes a lever (17) supporting a second pin (19) by means of which second pin (19) the lever (17) activates the lock device (3), unlocking the carriage (4). 5. A gate for lifts and elevators, character sed in that it comprises a device according to any of the preceding claims.

Inventors: BONDAVALLI ROLANDO, BONDAVALLI, ROLANDO
Applicants: BONDAVALLI ROLANDO, SELCOM SPA, BONDAVALLI, ROLANDO, SELCOM S.P.A.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B66B13
IPC codes: B66B13, E05B53, E05B63, E05B65